Roorkee police arrested three people — including a woman and her husband — for allegedly stealing Rs90 lakh from her father’s locked ancestral house in the Gangnahar area. According to police, the couple, struggling with financial problems, conspired to steal the money after discovering it was stored inside the home.
The complainant, Mohammad Sarwar Ahmed, had recently sold a godown and kept the proceeds — Rs90 lakh in cash — in a vault at his unoccupied ancestral property. On April 10, a neighbour informed him that the house’s lock had been broken. Sarwar rushed to the property and found the cash missing, after which he filed a police complaint.
Early investigation hinted at an insider’s role. Sarwar had told police his daughter visited the house that day and behaved suspiciously, speaking in hushed tones over the phone. This raised investigators’ suspicions.
Police soon questioned Sarwar’s daughter and her husband, Azeem, a gym trainer. Within hours, both confessed. According to investigators, they were under severe financial strain — Azeem had substantial debt — and saw the cash as an opportunity. Sarwar’s daughter gave Azeem the house and vault keys. Azeem entered the home in the afternoon, removed the cash, and left without attracting attention, staying in constant phone contact with his wife during the theft.
The stolen cash was later found to be distributed across locations. Azeem hid Rs48 lakh at his house, Rs1 lakh at his supplement shop, and gave Rs10 lakh to his brother Waseem, who also became involved. He had also purchased jewellery using part of the stolen money.
Police arrested all three — Sarwar’s daughter, Azeem, and Waseem. They recovered about ₹60 lakh, jewellery bought with the stolen funds, and the car used during the crime. The case has been registered under BNS Sections 305-A (theft) and 331-3 (housebreaking with intent to commit an offence).
CCTV footage and detailed interrogation helped reconstruct the sequence of events and secure confessions.
Haridwar SSP Pramendra Singh Dobal added that the police will write to the Income Tax Department to examine the source of such a large cash amount found in Sarwar’s possession.
